2011-2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals: Thrillers to the Max!!!

Kelly Williams gives Jimmy Alapag some love as
the latter led the Texters to a pivotal Game 6 win.
(image by Leslie Sy/InterAKTV.com)

TALK N TEXT TROPANG TEXTERS over PETRON BLAZE BOOSTERS, 111-108

Jimmy Alapag has had a rocky PBA Philippine Cup campaign, no thanks to nagging injuries to his calf and ankle. So it is not surprising that when the chips are down for the Talk ‘N Text team that considers him as its leader, Alapag took it upon himself to lead the way for his team in a Game 6 victory over Petron.

The reigning league MVP, Alapag scored a personal conference-high 29 points and also had 10 assists and 7 rebounds as the Tropang Texters notched a second straight win that tied the best-of-seven series at 3-all.

The four-time champion ballclub, who narrowly missed a Grand Slam last season, is now on the verge of becoming only the third team to come back from such a 1-3 deficit and win a race-to-four after Ginebra (1991 First Conference Finals) and Purefoods (2006 Philippine Cup semifinals).

One thing Petron is sure to work on is defense after allowing TNT to breach the century mark for the first time in the series after making 37 of 73 shots for an astounding 50.7 percent.

Alapag laced his performance with a perfect 10-for-10 shooting from the stripe, including four straight inside the last 33.5 seconds that made it an unassailable 110-104 count. Rich Alvarez, seeing action in only his second game in the series, contributed immensely by making two defensive stops going to the last minute, intercepting a pass by Cabagnot and forcing Chris Lutz to lose the ball on the baseline.

Larry Fonacier also came up with a clutch triple that pulled the Tropang Texters away from a 103-102 count, leaving Cabagnot, who also missed three tries that helped blow a 99-97 Petron lead, green with envy.

Ranidel de Ocampo and Arwind Santos are set to meet each other
one more time in the 2011-2012 Philippine Cup.
(image by Leslie Sy/InterAKTV.com)

Alex Cabagnot gives Ali Peek something to remember
him by as Petron is forced to a rubber match.
(image by Pranz Kaeno Billones/InterAKTV.com)

RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO-PAINTERS over POWERADE TIGERS, 112-98

Jeff Chan spiked a 26-point outing with a decisive binge all of his own in the second half as Rain or Shine stayed in the hunt for a first final appearance, drubbing Powerade to force a sudden death in their semifinal showdown.

The lefty gunner rattled in 15 straight markers in a five-minute stretch in the second half as the Elasto-Painters built a 92-76 lead and kept the Tigers at bay the rest of the way. Paul Lee, Ronnie Matias and JR Quinahan also provided a push as Rain or Shine forged the 3-3 tie in the best-of-seven series.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao believed they would have the advantage being fresher going to Wednesday’s game.

Offensively, Chan stepped up and starred in the Elasto-Painters’ decisive four-quarter breakaway. Chan rifled in five three-pointers, including three in a personal binge that opened a double-digit margin for ROS at 86-76. Lee and Gabe Norwood also knocked in treys later to make it 92-76 with 7:52 left to go.